Paul Perkins emerging as featured back for Giants after slow start to rookie season

Paul Perkins is emerging as the featured back at Giants training camp.

What a difference a year makes for Paul Perkins.

Last season as a rookie, Perkins was playing catch-up with the offense and found himself way down on the depth chart behind the likes of Rashad Jennings, Shane Vereen and Orleans Darkwha.

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Now, he's the Giants' featured back at training camp.

"It's just a blessing to be in this position," Perkins said on Tuesday. "Being able to learn from the older guys like Shane and Rashad last year, but also being able to spread some knowledge on the younger guys."

Perkins missed OTAs and part of minicamp last season in order to finish his degree at UCLA, which only made the rookie learning curve that much more difficult.

But after an impressive end to the 2016 season, including a 102-yard performance in Week 17 against Washington, Perkins is hopeful he and the running game provide the offense a more balanced attack.

The Giants are still sorting out which defensive tackle will lineup alongside Damon Harrison. (Howard Simmons/New York Daily News)

"I mean we can definitely do it," he said. "We definitely have the guys to do it, offensive lineman and running backs, we have playmakers."

HELPING SNACKS

Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson, the second-round pick out of Alabama, is hopeful he can grab the second starting interior-lineman spot next to Damon 'Snacks' Harrison.

"I feel like I can grab that spot because it's one of those spots you have to be physical in there every single play and I'm that type of player to go in there and be physical," said Tomlinson, who said it was "nerve-wracking" on the team's first day in pads. "You have to be out here soaking into the team to play that position because, defensive tackle, you make a lot of plays, but also you have to open up a place for other people. So, you have to go in there and be aggressive and physical every single play."

The 6-foot-3 Tomlinson said he currently weighs about 310 pounds. Tomlinson has mostly practiced on the second unit thus far. Robert Thomas and Jay Bromley are candidates for a starting job.

QUICK HITS

WR Dwayne Harris left practice early with a shoulder injury. … Vereen and DE Devin Taylor were limited due to "lower body soreness," said McAdoo. … WR Kevin Snead drew boos from the crowd after dropping three of four punts in punt return drills.